Mobile electronic devices can be an important tool for many users. Users rely on these mobile devices to for wide range of purposes that include communication, maintaining schedules, receiving information, mapping directions, storing documents and records, and providing entertainment, to name but a few. Because users depend on their mobile devices, they may feel debilitated if and when the device breaks or otherwise becomes inoperable.
Many mobile devices are not particularly durable or capable of withstanding significant impacts without sustaining damage. Mobile devices are by nature electronic, and thus depend on maintaining the integrity of many small electronic components, and the electronic connections between these components. Moreover, many of the surfaces on the mobile electronic devices are made of glass or other brittle materials that are inclined to break when the device is dropped or subjected to other impact forces. For some devices, particularly touch screen devices, breaking the display surface can render the entire device completely inoperable. Making matters even more difficult, the repair of these devices can be costly, and in some instances the damage may even be irreparable.
To help offset damage caused from impacts and drops, many users elect to protect their mobile devices with a protective cover or shield. The covers can help absorb impacts in some instances, but are not always sufficient by themselves to offset damage when a device is dropped or subject to significant impacts. Moreover, the covers can add unwanted weight and bulk to the device, thereby making it more cumbersome carry and operate. Protective shields also have drawbacks, in that they may impair the viewability and/or the touch sensitivity of the device display. Accordingly, alternative techniques for protecting mobile devices against impacts could be valuable to mobile device users.